The present invention relates to a high pressure seal arrangement for an ultrahigh pressure fluid pump, and more particularly to a high pressure seal arrangement for use in sealing a reciprocating plunger pump within a high pressure cylinder of an intensifier pump utilized for pumping fluids.
Precision cutting for industrial and commercial purposes is often accomplished through the use of a waterjet system that directs a high speed stream of water at a material surface to be cut. Waterjet systems pressurize water to 15,000 psi or greater and convert that pressure to a fluid stream traveling at speeds in excess of Mach 2. This high velocity stream, often mixed with an abrasive, is capable of slicing through hard materials such as metal and granite with thicknesses of more than a foot.
The pumps operating within a waterjet system require seal arrangements able to contain the high pressures generated. This includes seal arrangements positioned between the reciprocating plungers and the wall of the cylinder vessels in which the plungers reciprocate. Sealing surfaces of such seals are typically constructed of a softer material than that of the surrounding components and tend to rapidly break down. The softer seal components may also extrude into gaps created during high pressure operation. The resulting wear and degradation requires frequent seal replacement.